Newsom tells unemployed union workers he gets it

If you were anywhere near City Hall around noon today, you surely heard the ear drum splitting rally attended by several hundred members of the Building Trades and Residential Builders Association. Most of them filled the steps and sidewalk in front of City Hall, while others repeatedly drove their trucks around the block laying on their horns for 30 minutes straight.

Newsom, just a few days into his bid for lieutenant governor, showed up to, yes, support his own legislation. We noticed he tried hard to blend into the crowd, peppering his conversations with workers with some salty language and ditching his tie and suit jacket for a literal blue collar. (Well, a blue and white striped collar anyway.)

“A lot of folks say we’re starting to turn the corner, but I know a lot of you don’t know what the hell that means,” he said of workers being unemployed despite signs the economy is improving.

Interestingly, Newsom had just come from a meeting with labor groups to talk about the 17,000 layoff notices he sent to city workers just 10 days ago. (Most of them will be rehired to work shortened work weeks, but still…)